Judges 19:17Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The elder saw him and inquired about his journey, asking where he was headed and from where he had come. The man answered, "I am making my way back from Bethlehem in Judah to Mount Ephraim, accompanied by my wife. I have arrived here, but there is no one to provide us with lodging or a place to rest." He sought neither food nor drink nor provisions for the livestock; he merely wished for a place to stay, yet he was not permitted even to find refuge under a roof, despite having all he needed, longing only for shelter.